Mortality difference between early-identified sepsis and late-identified sepsis

Objective The aim of the study was to compare the mortality rates of patients with early-identified (EI) sepsis and late-identified (LI) sepsis. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of patients admitted to the emergency department and diagnosed with sepsis. EI sepsis was defined as patients with a Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score >= 2, based on 3 parameters of the SOFA score (Glasgow coma scale, mean arterial pressure, and partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio), measured within an hour of emergency department admission. The remaining patients were defined as LI sepsis. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Results Of the total 204 patients with sepsis, 113 (55.4%) had EI sepsis. Overall mortality rate was 15.7%, and EI sepsis group had significantly higher mortality than LI sepsis (23.0% vs. 6.6%, P= 0.003). The patients with EI sepsis, compared to those with LI sepsis, had higher SOFA score (median: 4 vs. 2, P< 0.001); Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (median: 14 vs. 10, P< 0.001); were more likely to progress to septic shock within 6 hours after admission (17.7% vs. 1.1%, P< 0.001); were more likely to be admitted to the intensive care unit (2.2% vs. 1.1%, P= 0.001). Conclusion Mortality was significantly higher in the EI sepsis group than in the LI sepsis group.